Split shot pliers with magazine handle



Jan. 12, 1960 B. M KEEHAN ETAL SPLIT SHOT PLIERS WITH MAGAZINE HANDLE Filed Sept. 20, 1957 INVENTOR.

" Bruce Mc Keehpn BY Herman H. Red/ass SPLIT SHOT PLIERS WITH MAGAZINE HANDLE Bruce McKeehan and Herman H. Redies s, Alameda, Application September 1957., Serial No. 685,129 1 Claim. to]. 81-15) The present invention relates to improvements in split shot pliers, used by fishermen in applying and removing shots or pellets of lead to and from a fishing line.

Pliers of this type are often made with a hollow handle to serve as a magazine or reservoir for the shot, and closures are provided for the magazine, usually in the form of threaded caps screwed into the free end of the magazine.

Screwed caps of this type are difficult to apply and re move, and usually require the use of both hands of the operator, one hand holding the pliers and the other hand operating the cap, and the time consumed in screwing and unscrewing is considerable.

In the present invention, we propose to provide a closure for the magazine which may be easily operated by the use of a single hand, leaving the other hand free for other purposes, which opens and closes instantaneously, at the flick of a finger or thumb, while being held in said hand.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will appear as the specification proceeds, and the new and useful features of the invention will be fully defined in the claim attached hereto.

The preferred form of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of our pliers having our invention incorporated therein, with the handle pointing upward;

Figure 2, a section through a portion of the magazine and the closure taken along line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3, a section taken along line 33 of Figure 2, indicating various positions of the closure.

While we have shown only the preferred form of our invention, it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claim hereto attached, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the pair of pliers 1 may be of any substantially conventional construction and comprise a pair of suitably shaped bars 2 and 3 pivoted, as at 4 to provide a pair of cooperative jaws 5 on one side of the pivot, and a pair of handles 6 and 7 on the other side of the pivot, the jaws being adapted to tighten upon an object when the handles are urged toward one another.

The jaws are formed with a pair of cooperating cavities 8 and 9 nearthe front end thereof, these cavities being adapted to receive a split shot between the same and to tighten the same upon a line.

One of the jaws has a second cavity 10 which is opposed by a tooth 11 projecting from the other jaw, and these two elements cooperate in re-opening the split for freeing the shot from the line.

The handle 7 is formed as a straight tube, with a pocket 12 extending thereinto from the rear end, this pocket being intended to serve as a magazine for storing reserve shot.

The other handle 6 is curved away from the straight Unite 4.8m Pa e 0 2,92%,514 Patented Jan. 12, 1960 handle in a sufliciently pronounced curve to compensate for the lack of curvature in the straight handle and to allow for convenient gripping of the two handles between the. palm of the hand and the fingers thereof.

The overall length of our pliers is about five inches, and the length of the'handles corresponds approximately to the width of the human hand, approximately four inches. The handles are about of equal length, with the free ends lying in substantially the same transverse plane.

The...present invention is directed principally to the closure for the magazine 12, which is intended forquick opening and closing by the thumb and forefinger of the hand holding the handles, so as to have the other hand entirely free for other operations.

The closure comprises in its principal features, a rubber ball 13 fitting over the end of the magazine and a clamp 14 holding the ball with freedom of swinging movement between active and inactive positions.

The ball 13, which is made of rubber or similar resilient material, has a diameter slightly in excess of the inner diameter of the magazine so that it may be seated upon the end of the magazine, with a minor portion projecting into the magazine and a major portion presented outside the magazine.

The clamp 14 is U-shaped and has a base 15 extending diametrically through the ball, and two legs 16 lying along opposed outer faces of the magazine and formed with inwardly turned toes 17 revolvably anchored in the magazine wall. The toes are spaced with respect to the end of the magazine to firmly seat the ball upon the outer end of the latter.

The clamp 14 is located to lie in the median plane of the magazine, when the ball is in active position and transversely to the plane defined by the two handles. The length of the clamp is approximately equal to the diameter of the ball.

Due to this construction, when the ball is pushed sidewise when seated inthe magazine, by thumb pressure or otherwise, in the plane of the two handles, it will, in an attempt to climb over the edge of the magazine, become indented, as at 18 (Figure 3), and as soon as clamp passes a critical midway position, the ball will snap into an out-of-the-way position along the outer face of the magazine.

Again, as the ball is pressed, by finger pressure or otherwise, in the opposite direction, it will again indent, to pass the upper edge of the magazine, and as soon as the clamp has passed the critical angle, will snap into active or magazine closing position.

While the ball may be operated in many different ways to suit the habits of the individual fisherman, possible the most convenient way is as illustrated in Figure 1, in which the handles may be considered as being held in the palm of the right hand, with the curved handle resting against the palm and the straight handle held by the fingers and with the thumb overlying the end of the curved handle and bearing against the ball, while the forefinger is placed against the upper end of the straight handle, close to the ball.

When held in this position, a slight thumb pressure against the ball will force the latter over the outer edge of the magazine, to come to rest against the forefinger, and a slight counter pressure by the forefinger will return the ball to its magazine closing position.

Between the two operations, the fisherman may, of course, tilt the pliers, without changing his grip, for pouring out a desired number of lead pellets.

We claim? In combination, a pair of split shot pliers comprising a pair of bars pivoted together to form a pair of jaws on one side of the pivot and a pair of handles on the other side of the pivot, the two handles being dimensioned to fit in the hand of an operator and including a straight handle hollowed to' serve as a magazine for shot and being open at the end thereof and a second handle curved away from the first handle to conveniently fill the hand or the operator grasping the two handles, and a closure for the open end of the straight handle comprising a rubber ball dimensioned for part insertiontin the opening, with a major portion projecting outside the opening, and a U-shaped clamp having a base portion passing centrally through the ball transversely to the plane of the handles and legs adapted to straddle the handle, with inwardly turned toe pieces pivotally anchored in the handle at di ametrically opposed points and spaced from the handle to hold the ball against the opening, the ball being adapted by reason of its resiliency to roll over one edge of the 15 2,806,229

,4 opening into inactive position alongside of the magazine when pushed sidewise and to return into active position when pushed in a reverse direction, and the handles being of approximately the same length for easy playing back and forth of the ball between a fore-finger grasping the upper end of the straight handle and a thumb resting 'on the end of the curved handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 586,981 Vodicka July 27, 1897 2,618,994 Frazee Nov. 25, 1952 2,687,731 Iarussi -Q Aug. 31, 1954 2,765,687 Stanfield Oct. 9, 1956 'Pletz Sept. 17, 1957 

